St Helena : EXCO Approves Crown Land Policy
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 06.03.2007 (Article Archived on 20.03.2007)
Executive Council has approved a policy relating to making Crown land available for commercial and house building purposes which will come into effect on 12 March 2007.
Crown Land is available to
12 March 2007.
The policy seeks to provide guidance for members of the public, businesses and the Public Service in dealing with applications for the purchase or lease of Crown land for both commercial and residential purposes. The policy does not affect existing practices relating to agricultural or forestry land or buildings, Government Landlord housing or management of the Chief Secretary houses (apart from those earmarked for development in the Tourism policy).
The general principles of the policy are to promote the development of the economy through private house building whilst at the same time securing the efficient and effective use of St Helena’s natural resources by making Crown land available for sale or lease. Generally, a lease will be offered in the first instance with an option to purchase freehold once the development of the land has been completed.
As far as is practicable, the process will be managed by officials however, Executive Council will retain oversight of the process and direct control over significant proposals, therefore any proposal to sell or lease a parcel of land exceeding one acre in area will be referred to the Governor in Council.
The policy sets out procedures for dealing with 3 different classifications for land; land for commercial purposes, land for private house building and, procedures for dealing with existing buildings for commercial purposes. Included as appendices are pricing matrices and SHG’s Policy Statement relating to the release of land under the St Helena Investment Policy.
A copy of the complete policy follows below. However, one change to existing procedures which is worthy of highlighting is the abolition of the ‘names from the hat’ ballot system. The current policy requires an individual, who has himself identified Crown land for house building, to compete against other individuals who subsequently express an interest in the land, as the land has first to be advertised by the Legal, Lands and Planning Department. Under the new policy, an area of Crown land identified by an individual with St Helenian status, will no longer need to be advertised and the applicant will have the opportunity to lease/purchase at the rent/price determined in accordance with the price matrices, provided that he does not already lease or own, a residence or land, suitable for residential development.
Crown land identified by the Legal, Lands and Planning Department will be advertised and if there is more than one applicant for any site, the successful applicant will be identified by a tender exercise. Tenders will be assessed by the valuation panel established for the purposes of the policy. Tenders below the price determined in accordance with the pricing matrices will not be accepted.
Office of the Chief Secretary
6 March 2007
|
